I think Reigns of Power is a fine card. Its something I've considered before and wouldn't mind trying it out honestly, although I'll have a hard time trying to find something to cut as I've already got damage prevention, creature control and mass removal covered pretty well in my list. Otherwise I think its a really great versatility card. I'll try to playtest with it.
I find myself with a lot of mana without answers sometimes so I figured as universal an answer as counterspells are, why not put another in the list. And since Mox Opal has been proving I have metalcraft often enough, this has been like running another UU counterspell in the list.
Posting here to show Barrin some love.
That's a nice deck you have there, I'm very likely building a variation of it, thanks for all the ideas. :)
Thanks for showing the love. I've been wanting to bump the thread for a bit, but honestly, the deck I've been running in the original post hardly ever needs any changes because its win percentage is so high! I'll probably start doing card reviews for the new sets, though I've shied away from it thus far because none of the newer blue/artifact cards have even been close to making cuts IMO.
I ran it for awhile but being an Enchantment I didn't really have any way to tutor for it, compare with (Ichor Wellspring and Tezzeret the Seeker) and it was essentially a dead card without Barrin to sacrifice it to so I ended up cutting it along the way.
I also finally put together a version of this list. I won a long grindfest of a game with my friends on Friday. They scooped after the third consecutive turn I took. Each turn I was attacking with Kozilek, bouncing and recasting him to draw cards. I think it may have caused some grief. I almost wished I had a faster win condition.
Also, in another game, I kicked a Rite of Replication twice (via Snapcaster) on a Blade Splicer. That was pretty good.
I also finally put together a version of this list. I won a long grindfest of a game with my friends on Friday. They scooped after the third consecutive turn I took. Each turn I was attacking with Kozilek, bouncing and recasting him to draw cards. I think it may have caused some grief. I almost wished I had a faster win condition.
Also, in another game, I kicked a Rite of Replication twice (via Snapcaster) on a Blade Splicer. That was pretty good.
Lol, yeah the games can be draw out, but thats one of the facets of this deck I've seen that it plays a lot like a normal 60 card control deck. Control the board for a while, drop a fatty then win. Luckily its usually proven able for me to control 3-4 other players at a time.
Also bouncing Kozi and recasting him to draw cards with Barrin is one of my favorite things to do with the deck. I took 7 turns in a row one game in the same manner you mentioned above. Glad to hear you ended up with the Win though!
Hey Foo. I know this is a little off topic but some help would be LOVELY! I was looking for super friends lists. I somehow stumbled upon an old list of yours you put up? Is there an updated list or any changes you would make to the list that was last changed in march of 2013 I think???? Is it a good deck? Like not super competitive but can it win games in a multiplayer environment and is it fun to play? This is the list http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/multiplayer-commander-decklists/216588-sliver-queen-superfriends
Thanks
Hey Foo. I know this is a little off topic but some help would be LOVELY! I was looking for super friends lists. I somehow stumbled upon an old list of yours you put up? Is there an updated list or any changes you would make to the list that was last changed in march of 2013 I think???? Is it a good deck? Like not super competitive but can it win games in a multiplayer environment and is it fun to play? This is the list http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/multiplayer-commander-decklists/216588-sliver-queen-superfriends
Thanks
Hey Glokkss, sorry for replying so late! I'm actually foo's brother, and I figured since he hadn't replied to you I would, since I'm the one between us who has been working with the super friends deck. Anyways, shortly after he posted that list I kinda took control of it, and I've been playing it for quite some time now. Here's the thread I have for the list: (http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/multiplayer-commander-decklists/536178-sliver-queen-super-friends-royalty-of-the). Feel free to message me or comment on the thread about the deck, if you're still interested!
Anyways, on the Barrin related subject: @foo_intherain, do you see the new Teferi making a spot in the list?
I just found this list for the first time today. Let me say, this is one of the most unique mono-bloo gameplans I've seen in a while. I've built a control-style deck around Merieke Ri Berit using other people's threats against them, and I've used sac outlets to let me get more value out of stolen things before I destroy them. But using Barrin as the General has never, honestly, occured to me. What a brilliant idea. I've even tried a R/U variant that used things like Dominus of Fealty to steal then sac. I don't always build control decks, but when I do, I like for them to be unique and a bit quirky. I think Barrin might become my General at some point in the very near future.
We should all only play G/x decks because they are the most objectively fun and anyone who disagrees does not know the truth about EDH. Everyone should just play their decks because interaction beyond high fiving about how many land are in play is unfun and equivalent to casting Stasis while kicking puppies. I for one will never play with anyone who casts tutors, removal spells, blue cards, or things I arbitrarily decide I don't like but will probably cast myself later.
Hey everyone I'm going to be doing an update on how I feel about the stuff in Khans. But so far only one card has moved to playtesting from set: Ugin's Nexus
DECK CHANGES:
Glen Elendra Archmage >> Ugin's Nexus - Being able to hold a pseudo-Stranglehold on my opponents, while having the freedom to sacrifice the artifact to Barrin's ability for an extra turn + bounce value when we don't want to be restricting ourselves anymore struck me as something worth trying out. I'll be moving things to playtesting today and reporting back on results. Glen Elendra Archmage is a fine card, but I've often found myself feeling bad about its counter ability A: Being limited to only noncreature spells and B: My opponents can play around it since they know its coming.
===
Again, I'll have a full update on Khans posted here again sometime today probably after playtesting.
Clever Impersonator - While it looks good at first glance, being able to copy enchantments, planeswalkers and lands, falls short of being able to be targeted by Tezzeret the Seeker and Academy Ruins. Phyrexian Metamorph is still the better card here and only room for one shapeshifter in this spellbook at this time..
Dig Through Time - Even though it has the Chronomancy theme going for it, the delve is antithesis to the strategy as part of what makes the deck run smoothly is refilling itself from the graveyard with more countermagic, not exiling them.
Ugin's Nexus - I cut Glen Elendra Archmage for this card recently and have played a handful of games with it and have been very satisfied. It works as a Stranglehold when I need it to and Barrin makes it a Time Warp when I need it to as well!
Æther Gale - Hex usually doens't make it into my black decks, but this does target any nonland permanent. However, I think Cyclonic Rift is the better card overall and my other sweepers All Is Dust and O-Stone have different utility that can't be sacrificed to be cut here.
Breaching Leviathan - Inundate on a stick. Good for Budget Barrin lists I'd say since its a big body and locks down most of the board. Too clunky for compared to Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and other Eldrazi though..
Domineering Will - Again, another neat card for Barrin since you can end up using this as way to steal their creatures and sacrifice them to Barrin. A lot like Reins of Power. Though these types of tricks are often not worth the mana when compared to repeatable effects like Gilded Drake and Vedalken Shackles.
Dulcet Sirens - I like this as a control card actually and think it could be an interesting Meta call card. Since its a creature though and fairly fragile for that I'm partial to Maze of Ith for this type of effect, but being able to redirect the attack at another opponent is pretty sweet! I might try to get some time playtesting with this.
Reef Worm - If I weren't so concerned with it getting exiled this card really appeals to me. It can end up being a lot of value for Barrin. I'd perhaps consider testing it in Terrarion's spot since it turns into a threat and also feeds Barrin up to four times..
Stormsurge Kraken - This card is a pretty nice thread because of the Hexproof. And Its Lieutenant would honestly be active a lot of the time... A card I might consider but likely won't make the cut...
Teferi, Temporal Archmage - Maybe if his ultimate had more to offer here. But as is, he represents an overcosted Tezzeret for me. As Tezzeret for less can tutor cards like Sol Ring outright and then untap them for near equivalent utility.
Well of Ideas - Words of Wisdom enchantment! Its interesting but again, not a group-hug style deck so I'm aversive to cards that give my opponents things.
Masterwork of Ingenuity - Cool Trinket Mage target. Another card that I'd maybe consider running in Terrarion's spot. But not likely to make the cut overall..
Unstable Obelisk - This appeals to me as another answer to Iona, Shield of Emeria but I'm not sure I'm in need of more removal just yet. More playtesting and I'll see if I can afford to drop a counterspell...
I'm surprised you don't think Dig Through Time should make the cut. It seems perfectly reasonable to exile some lands in the graveyard or other cards you don't need any more to make your deck more threat-dense after Timetwistering. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but it seems like a slam dunk. Clever Impersonator, too. I think it's silly not to run that card in a deck where the double blue is no problem.
I'm surprised you don't think Dig Through Time should make the cut. It seems perfectly reasonable to exile some lands in the graveyard or other cards you don't need any more to make your deck more threat-dense after Timetwistering. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but it seems like a slam dunk. Clever Impersonator, too. I think it's silly not to run that card in a deck where the double blue is no problem.
Dig Through Time I'm just not confortable exiling the cards in the deck when they can be so easily recurred or recycled. I did make some cuts for more draw power and am running Fact or Fiction which I think is pretty comparable in power to Dig here and Instant speed at that.
The Shapeshifter is going to get some playtesting time in however.
DECK CHANGES:
Rhystic Study >>> Fact or Fiction - While Rhystic Study was a fine card, late game it ended up being somewhat dead at times and it can't be tutored for at all. The immediacy of Fact or Fiction as well as its recurability made me what to swap the two out.
Spelltwine >>> Brainstorm - Spelltwine is great, but high on my mana-curve, a lot of times would wiff the other player's graveyard and exiled something of mine that I couldn't recur or get back with Timetwister. Brainstorm is a nice, low CMC draw effect to help smooth out the gameplay and fit nicely here as a replacement.
x3 Snow-Covered Island >>> The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Arcane Lighthouse, Myriad Landscape. The Tabernacle is a card sitting in my binder that seems pretty good here due to Barrin's low creature count. It will definitely smooth over the deck's soft spot to swarm lists. The other two are good utility cards and the Myriad Landscape plays well with Crucible of Worlds. Again taking another hit at a mana-producing land slot here, so hopefully the extra draw-power doesn't leave us land screwed.
Wasteland >>> Mystical Tutor - Wanting to add greater accessibility to the rest of the card in the deck I've been working on smoothing out draw and tutors. Barrin accelerates pretty well with artifacts and sometimes gets mana flooded, so I figured lowering the land count couldn't hurt too much especially when cutting for more draw. Mystical Tutor grabs extra turns and Timetwisters in a pinch for us.
Blightsteel Colossus >>> Clever Impersonator - Blightsteel almost never came out unless it was cast off of Omniscience into an extra turn. So it essentially was only useful during one very specific scenario. The Impersonator is really versatile and I think will prove to deliver a lot more than Blightsteel did, although I'll playtest this a bunch since Blighsteel was one of the Win-Con cards for the deck.
I'm surprised you don't think Dig Through Time should make the cut. It seems perfectly reasonable to exile some lands in the graveyard or other cards you don't need any more to make your deck more threat-dense after Timetwistering. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but it seems like a slam dunk. Clever Impersonator, too. I think it's silly not to run that card in a deck where the double blue is no problem.
Still might look into playtesting with Dig Through Time and will report back how that goes..
Fate Reforged Updates:
DECK CHANGES
- Karn Liberated >> Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
//I always felt somewhat disappointed for paying 7 mana to exile a permanent and then have Karn's value end there. Ugin offers a slightly better + ability and a significantly better ultimate and also doubles a second All is Dust! Going to be playtesting this for a while.
What are your thoughts on Invoke Prejudice in this deck? I realised that I have one (which I used to use in a stax deck I don't have built anymore) and that it might fit well into this shell.
Also, have you had a chance to try out Dig Through Time?
Finally, I just realised that it would be sweet if you posted pictures of your deck. I get the impression that it's full of sweet foils and things...
- Capsize is repeatable bounce that will give you a way to use infinite mana.
- I think that Mindbreak Trap is an important counterspell in multiplayer because it's often cast for free, can hit multiple spells, and it exiles so it dodges un-counterable things.
- Reality Acid is decent removal with Barrin and interacts well with things like Capsize. It might be a little slow for your meta though.
- Caged Sun is a little slow, but provides a huge boost in mana and also goes infinite with Palinchron.
I'm super interested in making a Barrin deck, but in my meta I have a lot of planeswalkers or non-creature decks to contend with. How does Barrin hold up against low creature or no creature decks and many planeswalkers?
Also, extra turn spells are frowned on in my playgroup. Do you consider them a necessity to successfully pilot Barrin to a win? What do you think could effectively replace them and still get a good result?
What are your thoughts on Invoke Prejudice in this deck? I realised that I have one (which I used to use in a stax deck I don't have built anymore) and that it might fit well into this shell.
Also, have you had a chance to try out Dig Through Time?
Finally, I just realized that it would be sweet if you posted pictures of your deck. I get the impression that it's full of sweet foils and things...
Invoke Prejudice is a card that I've been musing over for some time, but never got around to playtesting/purchasing. I think its actually a really fine card for this deck and could see using it as an alternative to The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale.
Dig Through Time is something I haven't bothered playtesting with just yet, despite flavor, since it exiles cards and for the most part I enjoy recurring things from the yard into the deck with the major draw spell variants of Timetwister/Time Reversal but may substitute for Fact or Fiction and see how the two compare with one another.
- Capsize is repeatable bounce that will give you a way to use infinite mana.
- I think that Mindbreak Trap is an important counterspell in multiplayer because it's often cast for free, can hit multiple spells, and it exiles so it dodges un-counterable things.
- Reality Acid is decent removal with Barrin and interacts well with things like Capsize. It might be a little slow for your meta though.
- Caged Sun is a little slow, but provides a huge boost in mana and also goes infinite with Palinchron.
- This might be a pet card, but I've also liked Floodgate in mono-blue decks as a pseudo board wipe.
Anyway, I've rambled long enough. I hope you find some of these suggestions useful.
I've playtested with a majority of the cards mentioned here and they're all really fine cards for the deck. Each serves a powerful function alongside Barrin, but given overall CMC and my meta most of these cards fell faintly short of making the cut but depending on your playgroup they all deserve consideration when throwing a Barrin list together.
I'm super interested in making a Barrin deck, but in my meta I have a lot of planeswalkers or non-creature decks to contend with. How does Barrin hold up against low creature or no creature decks and many planeswalkers?
Also, extra turn spells are frowned on in my playgroup. Do you consider them a necessity to successfully pilot Barrin to a win? What do you think could effectively replace them and still get a good result?
My brother actually pilots the Sliver Queen Super Friends list here and Barrin manages to secure wins against the no-creature list fairly often. Ugin and All is Dust help with appropriate board wiping from walkers and can usually manage to counter major threats as well. As far as extra turn cards go I'm not sure if they're a necessity but they do generate some of the best value in the format. I've actually been toying with replacing them and trying to alternative strategies there myself since extra turns to tend to be mostly universally frowned upon so I will get back to you after some more playtesting (One of my playgroup members got arrested for 6 months so have been on a play hiatus for sometime but just returned to getting some games in yesterday !!)
Considering how many instants and sorceries you have here, Talrand, Sky Summoner could be good for producing sac fodder for Barrin.
This seems like a fine playtest card in one of the extra turn slots. I'll give it a shot and report back with details. I'm a bit on the fence however as to how much value he might generate before getting picked off by removal...
Heyo! Just wanted to thanks for this awesome primer. I spent a whole day between this thread and the shop of my choice and can´t wait to finally try this! Not only do I like the deck but the flavor too. Delicious!
On topic: I was considering Talrand and Melokou as token generators aswell. Mostly because I don´t want to alienate my rather casual play group though. This is why I am holding off on some of the time warp effects / Omniscience. Cool dorks for midgame seem like a decent enough replacement.
The result is far from being as polished as the OP but with the groovy interactions left over I still will have a great deck at my disposal. The first Gilded Drake will surely be remembered.
Thanks again! You truly count as a wizard
Thanks so much for the reply!!! Yeah let me know how those token generation games go since it seems replacing the extra turn cards has been a consistent issue both on the Primer and in actually game play. I'll report back with some results of my own, hopefully getting some games in today!
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
- Wayfarer's Bauble
+ Stoic Rebuttal
I find myself with a lot of mana without answers sometimes so I figured as universal an answer as counterspells are, why not put another in the list. And since Mox Opal has been proving I have metalcraft often enough, this has been like running another UU counterspell in the list.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
That's a nice deck you have there, I'm very likely building a variation of it, thanks for all the ideas. :)
WUB Ad Nauseam
WUR Control
BRG Top Control
Commander
U Barrin
WUB Sen Triplets
Thanks for showing the love. I've been wanting to bump the thread for a bit, but honestly, the deck I've been running in the original post hardly ever needs any changes because its win percentage is so high! I'll probably start doing card reviews for the new sets, though I've shied away from it thus far because none of the newer blue/artifact cards have even been close to making cuts IMO.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Someone already suggest Hatching Plans?
Thank you!
I ran it for awhile but being an Enchantment I didn't really have any way to tutor for it, compare with (Ichor Wellspring and Tezzeret the Seeker) and it was essentially a dead card without Barrin to sacrifice it to so I ended up cutting it along the way.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Also, in another game, I kicked a Rite of Replication twice (via Snapcaster) on a Blade Splicer. That was pretty good.
Legacy: UBRG Czech Pile, WWW Death & Taxes, many other things
Modern: UBR Grixis, RWG Burn, UR UR Storm, BBB 8 Rack, whatever other control deck I can force
Multiplayer EDH: RR Norin the Wary, UU Barrin, Master Wizard, UB Wrexial, the Risen Deep, GR Borborygmos, Enraged
Lol, yeah the games can be draw out, but thats one of the facets of this deck I've seen that it plays a lot like a normal 60 card control deck. Control the board for a while, drop a fatty then win. Luckily its usually proven able for me to control 3-4 other players at a time.
Also bouncing Kozi and recasting him to draw cards with Barrin is one of my favorite things to do with the deck. I took 7 turns in a row one game in the same manner you mentioned above. Glad to hear you ended up with the Win though!
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Thanks
Hey Glokkss, sorry for replying so late! I'm actually foo's brother, and I figured since he hadn't replied to you I would, since I'm the one between us who has been working with the super friends deck. Anyways, shortly after he posted that list I kinda took control of it, and I've been playing it for quite some time now. Here's the thread I have for the list: (http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/multiplayer-commander-decklists/536178-sliver-queen-super-friends-royalty-of-the). Feel free to message me or comment on the thread about the deck, if you're still interested!
Anyways, on the Barrin related subject: @foo_intherain, do you see the new Teferi making a spot in the list?
Not likely, really high CMC and Tezzeret essentially does what Teferi would be doing for me for 5.
Nothing from M15 is looking like it will be making a cut either.
UPDATE:
The newly spoiled card Ugin's Nexus will be making it into the list. Not sure what I'm cutting yet though.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Legacy: UBRG Czech Pile, WWW Death & Taxes, many other things
Modern: UBR Grixis, RWG Burn, UR UR Storm, BBB 8 Rack, whatever other control deck I can force
Multiplayer EDH: RR Norin the Wary, UU Barrin, Master Wizard, UB Wrexial, the Risen Deep, GR Borborygmos, Enraged
DECK CHANGES:
Glen Elendra Archmage >> Ugin's Nexus - Being able to hold a pseudo-Stranglehold on my opponents, while having the freedom to sacrifice the artifact to Barrin's ability for an extra turn + bounce value when we don't want to be restricting ourselves anymore struck me as something worth trying out. I'll be moving things to playtesting today and reporting back on results. Glen Elendra Archmage is a fine card, but I've often found myself feeling bad about its counter ability A: Being limited to only noncreature spells and B: My opponents can play around it since they know its coming.
===
Again, I'll have a full update on Khans posted here again sometime today probably after playtesting.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Clever Impersonator - While it looks good at first glance, being able to copy enchantments, planeswalkers and lands, falls short of being able to be targeted by Tezzeret the Seeker and Academy Ruins. Phyrexian Metamorph is still the better card here and only room for one shapeshifter in this spellbook at this time..
Dig Through Time - Even though it has the Chronomancy theme going for it, the delve is antithesis to the strategy as part of what makes the deck run smoothly is refilling itself from the graveyard with more countermagic, not exiling them.
Icy Blast - Barrin is better removal than this.
Kheru Spellsnatcher - This card reminds me of an ugly child between Glen Elendra Archmage and Desertion, two cards I couldn't find room for, let alone their ugly duckling.
Pearl Lake Ancient - While I like the art, its not Eldrazi and won't finish the game the same way we need ours to.
Thousand Winds - Bad blue Sunblast Angel, again not quite on par with All is Dust or Oblivion Stone when it comes to sweeper capacity, so nothing getting cut here.
Ugin's Nexus - I cut Glen Elendra Archmage for this card recently and have played a handful of games with it and have been very satisfied. It works as a Stranglehold when I need it to and Barrin makes it a Time Warp when I need it to as well!
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
BLUE:
Æther Gale - Hex usually doens't make it into my black decks, but this does target any nonland permanent. However, I think Cyclonic Rift is the better card overall and my other sweepers All Is Dust and O-Stone have different utility that can't be sacrificed to be cut here.
Breaching Leviathan - Inundate on a stick. Good for Budget Barrin lists I'd say since its a big body and locks down most of the board. Too clunky for compared to Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and other Eldrazi though..
Domineering Will - Again, another neat card for Barrin since you can end up using this as way to steal their creatures and sacrifice them to Barrin. A lot like Reins of Power. Though these types of tricks are often not worth the mana when compared to repeatable effects like Gilded Drake and Vedalken Shackles.
Dulcet Sirens - I like this as a control card actually and think it could be an interesting Meta call card. Since its a creature though and fairly fragile for that I'm partial to Maze of Ith for this type of effect, but being able to redirect the attack at another opponent is pretty sweet! I might try to get some time playtesting with this.
Intellectual Offering - Not a fan of giving my opponents stuffs...
Reef Worm - If I weren't so concerned with it getting exiled this card really appeals to me. It can end up being a lot of value for Barrin. I'd perhaps consider testing it in Terrarion's spot since it turns into a threat and also feeds Barrin up to four times..
Stitcher Geralf - Not exactly what I'm looking for for . Tormod's Crypt has our back for .
Stormsurge Kraken - This card is a pretty nice thread because of the Hexproof. And Its Lieutenant would honestly be active a lot of the time... A card I might consider but likely won't make the cut...
Teferi, Temporal Archmage - Maybe if his ultimate had more to offer here. But as is, he represents an overcosted Tezzeret for me. As Tezzeret for less can tutor cards like Sol Ring outright and then untap them for near equivalent utility.
Well of Ideas - Words of Wisdom enchantment! Its interesting but again, not a group-hug style deck so I'm aversive to cards that give my opponents things.
LANDS:
Arcane Lighthouse - A few basic Islands will likely get cut for some room for this and Myriad Landscapes.
ARTIFACTS:
Assault Suit - Clunky equipment is clunky. But sometimes clunky is good. Just not here.
Commander's Sphere - Maybe if we were trying to colorfix or running Sun Titan.
Crown of Doom - Not for the main build but really cool card for Aggro Barrin!
Loreseeker's Stone - Running so don't need this bad card-draw.
Masterwork of Ingenuity - Cool Trinket Mage target. Another card that I'd maybe consider running in Terrarion's spot. But not likely to make the cut overall..
Unstable Obelisk - This appeals to me as another answer to Iona, Shield of Emeria but I'm not sure I'm in need of more removal just yet. More playtesting and I'll see if I can afford to drop a counterspell...
OTHERS:
Other cards I've been considering are Deprive and The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Legacy: UBRG Czech Pile, WWW Death & Taxes, many other things
Modern: UBR Grixis, RWG Burn, UR UR Storm, BBB 8 Rack, whatever other control deck I can force
Multiplayer EDH: RR Norin the Wary, UU Barrin, Master Wizard, UB Wrexial, the Risen Deep, GR Borborygmos, Enraged
Dig Through Time I'm just not confortable exiling the cards in the deck when they can be so easily recurred or recycled. I did make some cuts for more draw power and am running Fact or Fiction which I think is pretty comparable in power to Dig here and Instant speed at that.
The Shapeshifter is going to get some playtesting time in however.
DECK CHANGES:
Rhystic Study >>> Fact or Fiction - While Rhystic Study was a fine card, late game it ended up being somewhat dead at times and it can't be tutored for at all. The immediacy of Fact or Fiction as well as its recurability made me what to swap the two out.
Spelltwine >>> Brainstorm - Spelltwine is great, but high on my mana-curve, a lot of times would wiff the other player's graveyard and exiled something of mine that I couldn't recur or get back with Timetwister. Brainstorm is a nice, low CMC draw effect to help smooth out the gameplay and fit nicely here as a replacement.
x3 Snow-Covered Island >>> The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Arcane Lighthouse, Myriad Landscape. The Tabernacle is a card sitting in my binder that seems pretty good here due to Barrin's low creature count. It will definitely smooth over the deck's soft spot to swarm lists. The other two are good utility cards and the Myriad Landscape plays well with Crucible of Worlds. Again taking another hit at a mana-producing land slot here, so hopefully the extra draw-power doesn't leave us land screwed.
Wasteland >>> Mystical Tutor - Wanting to add greater accessibility to the rest of the card in the deck I've been working on smoothing out draw and tutors. Barrin accelerates pretty well with artifacts and sometimes gets mana flooded, so I figured lowering the land count couldn't hurt too much especially when cutting for more draw. Mystical Tutor grabs extra turns and Timetwisters in a pinch for us.
Blightsteel Colossus >>> Clever Impersonator - Blightsteel almost never came out unless it was cast off of Omniscience into an extra turn. So it essentially was only useful during one very specific scenario. The Impersonator is really versatile and I think will prove to deliver a lot more than Blightsteel did, although I'll playtest this a bunch since Blighsteel was one of the Win-Con cards for the deck.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Still might look into playtesting with Dig Through Time and will report back how that goes..
Fate Reforged Updates:
DECK CHANGES
- Karn Liberated >> Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
//I always felt somewhat disappointed for paying 7 mana to exile a permanent and then have Karn's value end there. Ugin offers a slightly better + ability and a significantly better ultimate and also doubles a second All is Dust! Going to be playtesting this for a while.
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.
Also, have you had a chance to try out Dig Through Time?
Finally, I just realised that it would be sweet if you posted pictures of your deck. I get the impression that it's full of sweet foils and things...
Legacy: UBRG Czech Pile, WWW Death & Taxes, many other things
Modern: UBR Grixis, RWG Burn, UR UR Storm, BBB 8 Rack, whatever other control deck I can force
Multiplayer EDH: RR Norin the Wary, UU Barrin, Master Wizard, UB Wrexial, the Risen Deep, GR Borborygmos, Enraged
- I think that Hatching Plans, even though you can't tutor for it, is still worth it. Drawing 3 cards for 2 is really powerful. I've also included Claws of Gix in the main to ensure I have a sacrifice outlet. Claws can also be tutored in multiple ways including Tezzeret the Seeker, Trinket Mage, Fabricate, Transmute Artifact and Tolaria West.
- Speaking of things that like to be sacrificed, have you considered Parallax Tide and Dance of Many?
- I don't know how many infinite combos you want to run, but since Grim Monolith and Basalt Monolith are already good in the deck with your untap effects, you might want to consider Power Artifact and Rings of Brighthearth.
- High Tide is good in mono-blue, and goes infinite with a lot of cards, including Palinchron.
- Back to Basics can be really oppressive here.
- Riptide Laboratory can bounce Barrin, Snapcaster Mage, Venser, Shaper Savant, Trinket Mage and something like Archaeomancer if you run it.
- Capsize is repeatable bounce that will give you a way to use infinite mana.
- I think that Mindbreak Trap is an important counterspell in multiplayer because it's often cast for free, can hit multiple spells, and it exiles so it dodges un-counterable things.
- Reality Acid is decent removal with Barrin and interacts well with things like Capsize. It might be a little slow for your meta though.
- Caged Sun is a little slow, but provides a huge boost in mana and also goes infinite with Palinchron.
- Invoke Prejudice is pretty insane in a mono-blue deck.
- This might be a pet card, but I've also liked Floodgate in mono-blue decks as a pseudo board wipe.
Anyway, I've rambled long enough. I hope you find some of these suggestions useful.
Also, extra turn spells are frowned on in my playgroup. Do you consider them a necessity to successfully pilot Barrin to a win? What do you think could effectively replace them and still get a good result?
UG Ezuri... since been corrupted
BRG Prossh, the Sacrifice Engine
GR Bobo, the Mad Land-chucker (retired)
GU Kruphix, Open the Valves (retired)
UU Talrand, Spell Summoner (retired)
GG Ezuri, Ready-Made Leader (retired)
Invoke Prejudice is a card that I've been musing over for some time, but never got around to playtesting/purchasing. I think its actually a really fine card for this deck and could see using it as an alternative to The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale.
Dig Through Time is something I haven't bothered playtesting with just yet, despite flavor, since it exiles cards and for the most part I enjoy recurring things from the yard into the deck with the major draw spell variants of Timetwister/Time Reversal but may substitute for Fact or Fiction and see how the two compare with one another.
I've playtested with a majority of the cards mentioned here and they're all really fine cards for the deck. Each serves a powerful function alongside Barrin, but given overall CMC and my meta most of these cards fell faintly short of making the cut but depending on your playgroup they all deserve consideration when throwing a Barrin list together.
My brother actually pilots the Sliver Queen Super Friends list here and Barrin manages to secure wins against the no-creature list fairly often. Ugin and All is Dust help with appropriate board wiping from walkers and can usually manage to counter major threats as well. As far as extra turn cards go I'm not sure if they're a necessity but they do generate some of the best value in the format. I've actually been toying with replacing them and trying to alternative strategies there myself since extra turns to tend to be mostly universally frowned upon so I will get back to you after some more playtesting (One of my playgroup members got arrested for 6 months so have been on a play hiatus for sometime but just returned to getting some games in yesterday !!)
This seems like a fine playtest card in one of the extra turn slots. I'll give it a shot and report back with details. I'm a bit on the fence however as to how much value he might generate before getting picked off by removal...
Thanks so much for the reply!!! Yeah let me know how those token generation games go since it seems replacing the extra turn cards has been a consistent issue both on the Primer and in actually game play. I'll report back with some results of my own, hopefully getting some games in today!
Avalon: The Legend Begins :: Pirate Set :: Babel: The Æther Wars
Favorite Magic Card: Fowl Play
[Primer] [Barrin's Tome]: A Master Wizard's Spellbook.